Draconic Park
by GhostDragoness
Summary: A former bioengineering corp CEO explains to the Ghostbusters of his genetic discovery he made 20 years ago, and transformed it into a near-success theme park. Importantly however, he tells them of a very unusual discovery; of how a certain species of dinosaurs evolved miraculously into a more terrifying and carnivorous creature, unknown in the history of evolution, itself.
1. Chapter 1

_Part One: A Strange Visitor_

_ A_n elderly man appeared to the front doors of the Ghostbusters firehouse in New York City; he was dressed in an all-white summer shirt and pants, wearing a straw had, and was wielding a tan bamboo cane with a honey gold colored top embedded onto it, and as he took the first step inside the company headquarters, one of the original founders, Egon Spengler, was the first to notice the old man's presence.

"Can I help you sir?" Egon asked as he approached the elderly man.

"Yes, I'm _John Hammond_, are you the _**Ghostbusters**_?" The man asked, making sure he would be coming to the right place of business.

"Yes we are. Is there a problem you'd like to report to us?"

"Well, I wouldn't say it's a _problem_, but much rather more of a scientific matter; and I'd like to explain it all to you and every one of your colleagues available."

So in a matter of minutes, Egon gathered every one of the Ghostbusters crew available. All four of the original founders and the recruits came together at the ground floor as each one of the members noticed the elderly man's presence. However, before the conversation began, Ray Stantz notices one of the recruits to be missing.

"Hang on a minute guys, I've gotta go get Rita." He said.

"I thought she has the day off." Winston replied with a confused look on his face.

"She does, but I'd rather have her be here so that we could take a head start of what this guy wants us to capture."

Upstairs in the second floor, Rita was actually sitting in one of the work desks of the laboratory, reading a book entitled _**Jurassic Park**_, written by an author named _Michael Crichton_, and was busy with some of her studies she wanted to catch up on. It was a side project she had been working on for a very long time actually, as her paperwork and conceptual sketches include large reptilian like beasts with multiple head horns, some to have bat like wings, and others that look like giant snakes with frills and horns. Each time Rita would write down a note or summary about these creatures, there is a twinkle in her eyes, showing the devotion and open mindedness of her researches over these animals.

Momentarily though, she immediately stops her work as she suddenly hears a familiar voice as it was arriving into the laboratory.

"Rita? Are you up here sweetie?"

Ray arrives into the lab just as Rita quickly hides and put away her paperwork and other concepts of her research. Ray notices the quick twitches in Rita's arms, and asks what Rita herself was up to.

"Honey, what're you doing?"

Rita explains, trying to cover her work. "Oh… Not much, really."

"… Were you just working on your secret side project?"

"… How would you know that?"

"Because it seems like every time I come to see you you're always trying to hide your studies from me. Couldn't you just tell me what it is you're working on, but I know for a fact it doesn't seem to have anything to do with that book you've been reading for awhile."

"Oh. You mean _**Jurassic Park**_?" Rita continued, noticing the book. "Nah, not exactly, but it's just a little something Egon gave me for extra credit over the assignments back at Columbia University."

"What do dinosaurs have to do with the supernatural anyway?"

"Nothing, really."

Ray finishes with a small smile on his face. "Let's talk about this at another time though; right now I need you downstairs, we've got a new client on our hands and he wants _all_ of us present to hear his problems."

"But it's my day off; can't you just tell me about it tomorrow or something."

"Honey I just want to take a head start for you so that you can be prepared for an upcoming assignment. Now go on downstairs, everyone's waiting."

So both Ray and Rita Stantz climbed downstairs to the ground floor, where the rest of their colleagues and Mr. John Hammond stood presently, waiting to hear what the old man himself was about to explain.

"Gentlemen, and ladies, I've come here to explain about a breakthrough that has happened on one of the islands down in Costa Rica; nearly twenty years ago, I leased an island located off the coast of Costa Rita, spending five years developing a sort of _biological preservation_ where a team of paleontologists and other scientists discover a way to recreate and reconstruct extinct fossils and other preserved remnants into their original glory; you see I've managed to bring back six hundred million years of evolution's first form of animals -"

"_**Dinosaurs**_?!" Elwood Spengler, Egon's nephew, cries in a shocked tone. "You mean to say you were able to bring back… _actual _dinosaurs?! Through what process did you manage? I-I mean, _no one's_ ever done something that's uncontrollable as to bring back something that's been in extinction for over half a billion years!"

"Ah, well, you see I used _genetic engineering_, my boy. I was able to extract preserved blood of a one hundred million year old _mosquito_, containing the very DNA strand of dinosaurs. In order to reconstruct a whole certain dinosaur species however, _geneticists _were able to break down some of the DNA strand to show gaps in between the material; and to fill in these holes, my geneticists used complete DNA of frogs and other descendants of the dinosaurs to fill in the holes of the structure, to complete the code sequence."

Rita steps in on the conversation, figuring out what Mr. Hammond had done. "So what you're saying is you've accomplished a form of a _cloning_ process over an ancient ecosystem that's been separated by Man for over sixty-five million years?"

"That's right." Mr. Hammond finished.

Rita asks with a puzzled look on her face, but at the same time a hint of interest slowly crept up into her mind. "Um, quick question: exactly, _how many_ _**species **_of dinosaurs were you able to clone?"

Mr. Hammond answers Rita's question with a quick smile on his face. "Oh; _all_of them actually."

All of the Ghostbusters' eyes widened in surprise to hear John Hammond's response of his cloning and bringing back the dinosaurs. One of them, Joseph Zeddemore, _faints_ by the entire conversation, while his twin sister, Jenny Zeddemore, sat there in gaping awe, not noticing her brother's faint.

She spoke softly with a gaping look of both excitement and fright combined. "… We are so screwed."

Egon steps in, starting a new conversation with Mr. Hammond. "Okay, so now we… know what you've done twenty years ago to a line of extinct animals, but may I ask, what does all… _this_… have to do with us?"

John explains, now with his expression changing into a more worried look. "Ever since the _last_ incident in Isla Sorna with a colleague of mine nearly ten years ago, I hired multiple teams of security guards, scientists, and other means of national security to watch over and study the dinosaurs and make sure none of them are ever to leave the island, let alone the public go _anywhere_ near the land mass itself. Until about three years ago, only a certain species of dinosaurs have somehow managed to _evolve_ miraculously into a more ferocious, intelligent, and foul-tempered beast; it's like something out of a fairy tale, but it's nothing natural even _I_ have ever seen before. I have pictures here for all of you to study over; they were taken some time ago while I was visiting the security branch for a quick checkup, and after witnessing these photographs I suggested to come to you for your assistance and to wonder if you could manage to tell me what it is."

So John took out a rolled up batch of paper photographs and handed them first to Egon who at the time showed a distinct look of skepticism on his face. He unrolls the pictures and notices the black and white image of a blurred object, looking to be in motion. Momentarily, the pictures were handed down toward Peter Venkman who just passed it down to Winston Zeddemore without even to bother looking at them, then Winston passes them over to Elwood after his quick study over the object in the images, and then after Elwood examines over the descriptions he passes them over to the Zeddemore twins so that they could see what John Hammond was talking about.

Momentarily, Joseph and Jenny took the pictures over toward Ray and Oscar Venkman who each took a quick glance over the blurred images, and finally, Ray hands the photos over to his niece, Rita, who began to study the photographs in a very thorough and slow manner, examining the blurred object to be something even _she_ thought never to be possible. It turns out that the subject in the papers had two large wings that seemed to expand over fifty feet long for a body mass that seems to be nearly seven tons, its height looked to be about twenty feet tall from the view of how it's being in motion through the photographs, and the tail Rita noticed were straight and often flexible with a small bulbous point in which she couldn't figure out what it is, but figures it is something lethal and part of the animal for defenses or possible something to use during a hunt.

While Rita continued to examine the satellite photographs, Egon finishes the conversation to John Hammond with the same look of skepticism on his face. "Mr. Hammond, I will admit I'll give you credit for this phenomenal discovery in bringing back the dinosaurs, but the Ghostbusters, _we_ are a corporation that _captures_ and/or _eliminate_ any non-earthly conservation of matter. The name itself says it all. We're not paleontologists or other means of the study of dinosaurs."

"I understand that," John remarks. "But I am aware that you have encountered a means of _other_ creatures other than the supernatural, such as the infamous _**Chupacabra**_, for instance; I read how you managed to stop the terror of that beast from a family down in Georgia."

"That was a little different though," Ray said as he gets into the conversation. "Those farmers had a little trouble with mutilation of their cattle from a Class IV Semi-Anchored Entity, which means it is a _spirit_ of the famed Mexican legend that was somehow able to travel up to the southern States and continue to _physically_ perform its hunting tactics as it did when it was alive."

"I'm sorry Mr. Hammond," Winston said. "But we can't really help you capture and contain a _live_ animal into our storage unit, it doesn't work that way."

"Oh well, I'm not here to have you capture the poor creature."

"You're not?!" All of the Ghostbusters crew cried with confused tones.

"No, of course not;" John continued. "But none of the scientists I've hired were able to figure out of what this new creature is, so I suggested you should come along because of your experiences and other fields of mythology, legends, and other means of unknown organisms. I was hoping you all could help us _what_ this creature is, _where_ it originated, or anything you could do to have us continue further investigations to make sure not even _this _living beast could leave the island at no cost."

Jenny spoke with a quiet tone in her voice. "… This has got to be the _craziest_ customer we've ever had."

Winston steps into his daughter's conversation as well. "Punkin, I'm not even sure if this guy should _be_ a client in the first place."

Oscar closes the subject as he spoke. "Wait, let me get this straight; you came to us and talk about coming with _you _to this _Fantasy Island _filled with actual _living_, _man_-eating dinosaurs and take a study at this _new_ breed of dinosaurs you people didn't even bother to study for yourselves?! What's the catch, really?"

John replies. "There is no catch, but I have arranged a team of Navy SEALS and the U.S. Marines to assist you during the event. And of course there is a handsome sum I am offering to give you after your researches are complete."

"- A _handsome sum_, you say?" Peter interrupted; his eyes widened with surprise as soon as he heard John mention money. "Well, you heard him, let's not keep the dinosaur waiting -"

"Hold it, hold on a minute;" Ray exclaims, keeping Peter from moving a muscle. "I don't even know if we should go anywhere. I mean we've been having a little problem with the city's current lawsuit since its last manifestation."

"Not to worry, I've managed to take care of the problem _myself_." Mr. Hammond replied with a small smile on his face.

"Y-You did?" Winston asked with a confused look on his face.

"Of course, and the governor agreed that you continue your practices first thing tomorrow morning. I've arranged a private jet for you in LaGuardia, scheduled to depart south; take every equipment necessary for your travels, but believe me when I say this; this won't be just some weekend trip, but I do suggest to provide extra precautions during your adventure."


	2. Chapter 2

_Part Two: Adventure of a Lifetime_

_**"I**_ can't believe we agreed to go on some wild goose chase to Costa Rica," Oscar said with a slight hint of skepticism on his face as he packed his traveling bag. "I mean, why would this guy drag us over to an island filled with man-eating dinosaurs just to take a _study_ over some animal that's evolved into something more dangerous? What could be more _**dangerous**_ than dinosaurs?!"

Elwood steps into the conversation as well over the subject. "I still couldn't get over the fact that Mr. Hammond actually found a way to genetically mutate animals that have died off for over a billion years through the DNA strand of a mosquito that's possibly been preserved in a fossilized resin like amber, and restructured the sequence using other DNA substances in order to create even _more_ than _one_ species. I'll admit, I'd like to conduct a study of this process as soon as this trip is over."

Rita finishes the conversation, explaining of what she knows of so far. "All it is to me is like _**Frankenstein**_, but with the process of using DNA structures to genetically '_clone_' an organism that's as old as the Earth itself. Like the guy said, in order to '_create_' a dinosaur in its full and natural intentions, his team of geneticists took a hundred million year old blood of some bug and sort of '_combined_' it with DNA molecules of other animals in relation to the dinosaurs. But I personally think they'd use more than just reptilian blood to complete the sequence code; since some species did evolve into other animals like birds and amphibians, so it's possible they'd use that to make other species like the Dilophosaurus and the Gallimimus. Oh God, I can't imagine how they'd create the Velociraptor; those guys are serious business!"

Oscar stares at Rita for a quick moment, impressed by his colleague's summary of genetic engineering. He spoke once more with a quick tone of concernment.

"You know, I need to start hanging out with you guys more often; after all, you _are_ descendants of two of the greatest minds in the Ghostbusters business."

At that moment, both Rita and Elwood stared at Oscar with a quick glance over his reply, and then stared at each other with a quick look of realization on their faces, even though they do know they are the future brains and heart of the corporation.

Momentarily, Winston steps into the bunk room as he notices the recruits all finishing up their packing of their belongings and were ready to go. He spoke in order to get their attention and to remind them of departure.

"Come on kids, finish up with what you need to bring and let's get over to LaGuardia as soon as possible."

As soon as Winston left, Jenny took out a large Nikon brand camera out of its baggage and set it up with some of its lens focus and other necessary equipment in relation in order to capture the right moment when taking pictures. Her brother, Joseph, notices the camera and asks with a slight tone of confusion in his voice.

"Why do you need that camera sis? It's not like we're going to the Hawaiian Islands or something."

"Hey, I've already made a bet with some of the girls back at Columbia that I can take some quick snapshots of the dinosaurs and prove to them they're not Photoshop effects, they'll be coming to class all day with nothing but their grandmas' clothes. (Chuckle) This is gonna be the best bet I ever won."

"Well don't get your hopes too high, I've kinda got a bad feeling about this."

Soon afterwards, all of the Ghostbusters staff and crew were already on the next flight to Costa Rica, where they would soon meet up with Mr. Hammond at one of the coordinated security bases. During the flight, Ray and Egon were going over some of the basics for the recruits once they land; and then Ray begins the explanation about the assignment.

"Alright, listen up, each of the recruits will have the opportunity to attend this assignment on their own; we'll be keeping you posted on your progresses however, but all of you will be able to research this new dinosaur breed, or whatever Mr. Hammond claims it is, all on your own accord. All you have to do is study its behavior, what are its capabilities, and what are its weaknesses, if any. Do not use the packs when necessary; it's possible that the dinosaurs haven't seen any technological advances in the past twenty years, but I suggest that when you do come in contact with any creature in sight, just be sure you aim the neutrona wand at any possible point only to scare the animals away. Is everyone clear on the subject so far?"

"Yes sir." All the recruits replied, understanding Ray's tactics.

Egon finishes with a clipboard in his hands as he checks off today's list of the recruits' presence to attend the upcoming assignment as well as checking off the completion of the day's assignment objectives and writing down some notes of the subject. "Just to be clear on the subject, this is only an observation test; usage of the proton pack will only count as half point for your progresses once you start the assignment. All that counts are your researches over this new dinosaur get as much information as possible so that Mr. Hammond's security can take care of the problem."

But then Ray spoke once more, developing a harsh gut feeling about the project. "Ahem. There is something I want to add here; each of the recruits can participate in this assignment, but since because of the last manifestation back in New York… I'm afraid Rita here cannot make the cut to attend this job. So Rita, you're going to have to stay with me, Egon, Winston, and Peter here until further notice."

"What?!" Rita cried in an angry tone.

Oscar replied with a slight sarcastic expression. "You heard him (Chuckle)."

Rita continues however, her voice now forming into a more frustrating manner. "W-Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Y-Y-You can't blame that whole wrap on _**me**_ _personally_! I had that son of a bitch right where I wanted it until freaking _**Peck**_ got in the way and got possessed by that thing!"

Jenny spoke momentarily, reminding Rita of what had happened during the incident. "Well you did kinda fry Peck a little while your pack was set to its original primary mode."

"I wasn't _fast_ enough; that thing was just within inches of me! Come on Ray, it wasn't my fault, I didn't mean to put Peck into the hospital, but I definitely believe I know what this thing is on the island -"

"Rita, I don't want to get into this anymore," Ray finished with a final remark. "Just stick close to me and the others; you'll be doing the researches, but you won't participate with the recruits while this assignment is going on. Don't worry, there'll be another time when you get to do some work back home."

Rita slouches into the airplane seat with her arms crossed tight and pouted with a small tone of annoyance. "Yeah, all the lame and easy ones."

Upon arrival toward Isla Muerta, located within forty miles north of Isla Sorna, there was a government owned private airport with a large landing pad with a couple helicopters and a few jets set just several feet away as the Ghostbusters' jet lands safely onto the airport landing way; momentarily, a couple Toyota jeeps were waiting for the Ghostbusters' arrival once they had their equipment unpacked and ready for further instructions. Once the Ghostbusters loaded the jeeps and have already boarded themselves into the vehicles, they were already on their way to the first security building where a late middle aged man wearing a fedora stood with a couple of the scientists and were talking with the man, until they noticed the Ghostbusters' arrival.

The Ghostbusters walked up toward the entrance of the security building but notices the fedora wearing man just as they neared the doorway. The man however, was a former paleontologist named _Dr. Alan Grant_, who he himself had an experience with the inhabitants of Isla Sorna several years back. He sees the Ghostbusters, but stood with confusion on his face as he wondered what made a supernatural corporation come all the way to the dinosaur infested islands.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Alan Grant," He greeted. "You must be the Ghostbusters."

Oscar was the first to walk up to Dr. Grant and spoke with a quick tone in his voice. "Yeah, I know what you're thinking, what's a group of paranormal investigators doing here in the middle of nowhere to go on an island that's filled with actual living dinosaurs? Well, long story short, some old guy walks into our headquarters, tells us about his discovery of recreating dinosaurs, tells us about a new species that's possibly terrorizing the place, and then poof, here we are, ready to find out what this thing is and how are we gonna prevent it from getting off the island."

Dr. Grant stares at Oscar but gave a small smirk on his face as he realizes what Oscar meant by this unexpected surprise with the Ghostbusters being hired by Mr. Hammond.

He spoke with a calm and contented voice. "Well, you are right about _one_ thing;"

Inside the security building, in the computer central center, one of the security overseers was looking at the computer screens, noticing the activity going on in Isla Sorna through one of the security cameras set up on the little island. He sees the mysterious object in full motion, despite the picture being blurry, but spotted how the creature seems to be trying to ward off the other dinosaurs away from its path with the use of its massive wings. The security overseer pauses the computer screen at that moment when the new creature starts to make its massive and horrifying screeches.

"This was taken nearly four hours ago before you guys arrived here." He exclaims with a slightly worried tone. "Whatever this thing is, even the most ferocious of the carnivores that inhabit Isla Sorna are actually _afraid _of this thing."

"So what _do_ we do?" Joseph asked as well. "Do we just kinda go out there and kill this thing or what?"

"No Joseph, we're not here to _kill_ this thing, no." Winston replied. "But what I am a little confused about is what this thing has to do with all the dinosaurs here as well as to how this creature managed to evolve instantaneously in just a few years; especially after these rumored incidents Mr. Hammond had been talking about."

"Well, believe me when I say this," Dr. Grant remarks as he steps into the conversation. "but it's no dinosaur _I've_ ever _seen before_. The last time I came to Isla Sorna, there was a stronger and fiercer dinosaur called the _Spinosaurus_, which was a carnivore with an elongated snout and a large spinal frill; very aggressive and possibly a little more intelligent than the average Tyrannosaurus Rex. Now that this thing's come out of nowhere on the island, who knows what its capabilities, strength, intelligence, or speed is about this creature."

Rita couldn't help but look closer at the image on the computer screen and examines the blurry figure and the formation this thing had. Is this new creature a new breed of the dinosaurs? … Or is it something _more_?

Momentarily, a new security guard steps into the computer room; he was dressed in all dark camouflage and equipped with some of the different gun ammunition available, and was even on the verge into going out on a hunting spree. He notices the Ghostbusters' presence, but didn't know who they were; so he introduces himself with an Australian accent.

"G'day everyone, the name's Jim Riggs. So, are these the fabled monster hunters Mr. Hammond hired?"

"We're the _**Ghostbusters**_, actually." Ray replied with a slightly annoyed tone in his voice. "And we don't exactly _hunt_ monsters, nor do we consider anything we capture are actually _monsters_ at all. It's an entirely _different_ concept altogether."

"Now if you're looking for _**Van Helsing**_," Oscar joked. "That's the guy you should probably want to think about hiring next time."

Elwood quickly elbows Oscar on his arm to make him stay quiet, while the rest of the recruits snicker and giggle over Oscar's little joke. Dr. Grant notices Jim Riggs's presence but developed a quick expression of doubt, despite he was hired by Mr. John Hammond himself. Even a couple of the Ghostbusters founders felt a little uncomfortable to be in Mr. Riggs's presence.

Shortly afterwards, Jim announces the departure to Isla Sorna. "Well then, a boat to Isla Sorna will be departing in the next twenty-four hours; there are rooms set up for each of you, so I suggest you all rest up, get yourselves a bite to eat, and prepare for the most exciting ride of your life first thing tomorrow."

So it was officially settled that the Ghostbusters were to be on the verge of setting foot onto a restricted island that has been off limits to all public access for the last ten years since Dr. Grant's last visit to the land himself. It also seems that since the last time, there had been some _extra_ precautions in keeping the island off of the public access as well as to keep the dinosaurs on the island where they belong.

The entire island of Isla Muerta is now an official security system; every day all personnel have the responsibility to watch over Isla Sorna, watching over not just the dinosaurs to be kept on the land mass itself, but to also research over the lifestyles and natural ways of the animals' instincts, behaviors, strengths and weaknesses, and other forms of every day survival. And whatever this new dinosaur like form is, whatever it had evolved from, all that is certain is that it does not seem to belong to the very period of the dinosaurs themselves, or perhaps this new breed hasn't been discovered yet all this time… until now.

Inside one of the reserved bedrooms, Elwood Spengler, Oscar Venkman, the Zeddemore Twins, and Egon Spengler have all gathered for the afternoon in order to go over the assignment plans and to take a head start with the researches over the animal they may come face to face with once the time is right.

Meanwhile, at the cafeteria area of the security central, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore, and Peter Venkman were all getting a little something to eat for the hour, and while the men gathered the selected choice of food they wanted, each of them began a conversation with Winston asking Ray a quick question that began to pop into his head.

"Ray, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What's on your mind?" Ray asked.

"Why exactly _don't _you let Rita go on this assignment with the others?"

Silence quickly emerged in the atmosphere between Ray and Winston, but all Ray could think about at the time is the concernment of his niece's safety.

"You know Ray," Peter replies after he took a couple sips of his coffee. "It wasn't entirely Rita's fault for frying Peck a little with the particle stream, I mean that pack in particular was actually starting to break itself down anyway; it needed some new parts, new circuits and rotaries to keep the charge of the pack going, and Hell that thing was turning into a junk pile the last time Rita used that thing. … At least, that's as far as I was told of."

"The point is," Winston added. "Why won't you let Rita participate in this event? I mean, this is _our_ _**first time **_to see actual living dinosaurs walk on this very planet. Whatever this guy did to bring an ancient ecosystem back is either a genius or a Grade-A nutcase. But that's not exactly what I want to know here; you're letting the other recruits go off onto this little adventure on their own, but why not let Rita go along too? Don't you think this is a little _unfair_ for your niece?"

Ray sat there in silence for a long moment, until he finally replies to Winston's question. "… Well, I-I'm just… (Sigh) I-I'm just a little scared here; I mean, we're about to go embark onto a new territory that's inhabited with creatures that're supposed to be extinct for millions of years now, and… I-I just don't want Rita to - well, I don't want to see Rita getting hurt, e-especially from those giant man-eating lizards!"

Winston stared at Ray by the fear he'd been showing, but realizes there is a lot _more_ than just the fact of going to Isla Sorna.

"That's probably _one_ reason; but it's something else, isn't it?" Winston asks, changing the second half of the subject. "You're afraid of letting her go, aren't you?"

Ray looks over at Winston, showing the fear in his eyes, exposing the true reason of the conversation. He replies with a staggering tone in his voice, trying to cover his feelings over the matter.

"N-No; no, that's not it at all! I-I'm not trying to prevent her from going off into the real world, no! I-I I'm just a little scared over this assignment, that's all."

"Ray, look;" Winston said, easing Ray's panic a little as he explains. "_**I'm**_ just as scared as you are (well actually it's mostly over this assignment, now that I think about it), I'm a little worried over my twins' safety just as much as you are of Rita's, but I learned that one of these days the kids are gonna be able to live their own lives, they're gonna make their own choices and seek out adventures for themselves. Now Ray, I know all those times you weren't there for Rita once she was taken from you, but it wasn't your fault in the first place, remember?"

"That's just it; I don't want a _repeat_ between us. I don't want to lose her again Winston, I-I just want us to be together, to be a _family_ this time, and I want to make sure I will _always_ be there for her."

"Listen, believe me or not when I say this;" Peter asks as he butts into the conversation. "but now that I think about this whole thing, what with us being on this island and everything, is it too late to get my stepson off this project and let me and Oscar go back to New York where we belong?"

"The point being," Ray finished. "… Is that Rita is the only family I have. If I'd lose her now, I-I - I don't know what I'd do! Rita's the _**only**_ thing I have in this world now, and I'm not gonna let anyone or any _dinosaur_ take her from me!"

In a slight fit of rage, Ray starts to get up from the cafeteria table, leaving Winston and Peter behind as he starts to storm out of the dining hall. Winston follows behind, trying to stop Ray as well as to talk him into a new subject in relation to what they had been discussing.

"Ray, wait. Can you at least go talk to her? At least give her a chance; I mean, even though I'm still a little startled _myself _over the twins to go out to Isla Sorna by themselves, but we're promised that there are gonna be some members of the Navy and the Marines to watch over the kids and help them out with this assignment. I'm sure we'll be following right behind them during this whole experience too, and besides, _**we're**_ gonna be on the island too; but _please_ Ray, just for _once_, see if you can let Rita participate with the others. It just seems unfair not to let her join the others, and if you don't do this, she probably won't ever talk to you again."

Ray sighs at that moment, thinking of the possible consequences if he doesn't let Rita participate in the event with the other recruits on her own. So he slowly begins to exit the cafeteria, not to even bother saying another word.

In another reserved bedroom just across the hall from where the other recruits were, only Rita Stantz stayed alone inside as she wanted to continue her side project she brought along with her; she couldn't help but study over the possibilities of what her studies may relate to the events that's going to happen once she sets foot onto the island next door. Momentarily, she hears the door knocking gently and suddenly decides to quickly hide her paperwork.

"Come in!" She cried, feeling out of breath at first after hiding her studies.

The large metallic door opens, and in comes Ray with a slightly nervous look on his face. He walks over to Rita and sits onto the bed that was next to Rita's own bed, and begins to speak with a timid tone in his voice.

"Honey… can I talk to you for a moment?"

Rita replies with a soft voice, but feels a little concerned over what her uncle had to say. "Oh! Uh… sure; what's up?"

Ray gets himself a little more comfortable as he sits upright onto the bed, and then he finally explains with an apprehensive but calm voice.

"… Sweetie, uh… you know how much… I love you right?"

"Of course I do; and I love you just as much. I-Is something wrong?"

"No. No, of course not; it's just that… I-I've been thinking about what I've said… about you not participating in this project with the other recruits, or even just doing this on your own… but listen, I -"

"So, wait, does this mean… I can now go join the others and do this thing on my own?!"

Ray smiles to hear Rita's excitement over her wanting to participate the adventure with very little of her uncle's assistance, but just as he looks up to see his niece's face, his own eyes suddenly locks right onto her very own, and his smile disappears in an instant; he instantaneously envisions through Rita's eyes, images of pain, suffering, and possible death shuffling through her pupils. His heartbeat is miraculously pulsing like the engines of a 2007 mustang, and then a voice is being cried out in his head, sounding to be in the most terrifying of grief and woe, telling him very loudly _Don't let her go!_

Then, moments after the frightening feelings of pain and suffering, Ray snaps back into reality as he hears Rita ask once more.

"Ray? Ray, are you okay? Am I going to go on this assignment with the others or not?"

Ray stares at Rita, eye to eye, and finally replies as he kept a soft voice intact.

"**No**."

As soon as she hears her uncle's final answer, Rita leans back onto her bed, shows a serious look of disappointment and frustration, and spoke softly as she turns her head away. "Typical…"

Ray however, sees otherwise as he grabs Rita's hands and held them tight into his own.

"No, no, no, no, no Rita, listen to me on this, you have to understand; I just… _can't_ let you go on this; I mean, I want you to do this kind of stuff on your own, I really do, but… because of the fact that we're about to go onto another island and actually face real living _dinosaurs_… I-I just can't take this chance to see you or the others find yourselves into some kind of dead end during this trip and see my own baby girl get eaten by some carnivore!"

"But Ray," Rita explains, trying to convince her uncle. "There's gonna be some Navy SEALS team and U.S. Marine experts to guide us along the way, and even _you guys_ are coming along to check up our progresses just like you've said before -"

"It's not just because of _safety regulations_ Rita; this is about _our lives_ in general! I'm just trying to prevent a disaster that may or may not show up if something goes wrong with this assignment, and I'm not going to stand by and watch my own niece get herself onto the very brink of possible death, itself."

"Ray, stop trying to treat me like a child -"

"- But you are _**my child**_; and I'm not going to let you do this!"

Rita pouts at the moment, but Ray tries to reason with her once more.

"Rita, listen to me, if it makes you feel any better though, I _promise… _if something as similar as this comes along again someday… I'll see if I can let you participate in it on your own the next time. Now I can't guarantee it one hundred percent but…"

Then Rita looks up at Ray once more, despite she still felt a little skeptic of her uncle's words. She asks once more.

"Do you… _really_ promise the next time?"

Ray looks into his niece's eyes once more, gave a small smile, and finally replies as he gripped Rita hands tight into his own.

"… I _**promise**_."


End file.
